Dynamic Administration Of Component Event Reporting In A Distributed Processing System

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems and products are provided for dynamic administration of component event reporting in a distributed processing system including receiving, by an events analyzer from an events queue, a plurality of events from one or more components of the distributed processing system; determining, by the events analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one or more event analysis rules, to change the event reporting rules of one or more components; and instructing, by the events analyzer, the one or more components to change the event reporting rules.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically,methods, systems, and products for relevant alert delivery and dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem.

2. Description Of Related Art

The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited asthe beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systemshave evolved into extremely complicated devices. Today's computers aremuch more sophisticated than early systems such as the EDVAC. Computersystems typically include a combination of hardware and softwarecomponents, application programs, operating systems, processors, buses,memory, input/output devices, and so on. As advances in semiconductorprocessing and computer architecture push the performance of thecomputer higher and higher, more sophisticated computer software hasevolved to take advantage of the higher performance of the hardware,resulting in computer systems today that are much more powerful thanjust a few years ago.

Modern distributed processing systems for intensive computing may havemillions of devices with many processes running on each device all ofwhich are capable of error and status reporting for automated errorrecovery, reporting to a systems administrator, and for other reasons.In many cases, in the case of an error for example, the sheer number ofsuch error reports and status reports are so overwhelming that theycannot be handled in a meaningful manner. For example, a systemsadministrator receiving a hundred thousand error reports may beoverwhelmed by the sheer number of such reports and therefore in theaggregate those reports become more and more unhelpful and irrelevant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Methods, systems and products are provided for dynamic administration ofcomponent event reporting in a distributed processing system includingreceiving, by an events analyzer from an events queue, a plurality ofevents from one or more components of the distributed processing system;determining, by the events analyzer in dependence upon the receivedevents and one or more event analysis rules, to change the eventreporting rules of one or more components; and instructing, by theevents analyzer, the one or more components to change the eventreporting rules.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generallyrepresent like parts of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for relevant alert delivery withevent and alert suppression in a distributed processing system accordingto embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 sets forth a block diagram of automated computing machinerycomprising an exemplary computer useful in relevant alert delivery withevent and alert suppression according to embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 sets forth a block diagram of an exemplary system for relevantalert delivery with event and alert suppression in a distributedprocessing system according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 sets forth a diagram illustrating assigning events to an eventpool according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 sets forth a diagram illustrating assigning alerts to an alertpool according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an example method ofrelevant alert delivery with event and alert suppression according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an example method of dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an additional method ofdynamic administration of component event reporting in a distributedprocessing system according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an additional method ofdynamic administration of component event reporting in a distributedprocessing system according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary methods, systems, and computer program products for relevantalert delivery and dynamic administration of component event reportingin a distributed processing system according to embodiments of thepresent invention are described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, beginning with FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary systemfor relevant alert delivery and dynamic administration of componentevent reporting in a distributed processing system according toembodiments of the present invention. A distributed processing system istypically implemented as multiple autonomous or semi-autonomouscomputers that communicate through a computer network. In such exampledistributed processing systems, the computers often interact with eachother in order to achieve a common goal. A computer program that runs insuch an example distributed system is typically called a distributedprogram, and distributed programming is often used to describe theprocess of writing such programs.

In the example of FIG. 1, the distributed processing system (101) isimplemented as a parallel computer (100), non-volatile memory for thecomputer in the form of data storage device (118), an output device forthe computer in the form of printer (120), and an input/output devicefor the computer in the form of computer terminal (122). The parallelcomputer (100) in the example of FIG. 1 also includes a plurality ofcompute nodes (102). Each compute node is an automated computing devicecomposed of one or more computer processors, its own computer memory,and its own input/output functionality.

The compute nodes (102) are coupled for data communications by severalindependent data communications networks including a high speed Ethernetnetwork (174), a Joint Test Action Group (‘JTAG’) network (104), a treenetwork (106) which is optimized for collective operations, and a torusnetwork (108) which is optimized for point to point operations. Treenetwork (106) is a data communications network that includes datacommunications links connected to the compute nodes so as to organizethe compute nodes as a tree. Each data communications network isimplemented with data communications links among the compute nodes(102). The data communications links provide data communications forparallel operations among the compute nodes of the parallel computer.

In addition to compute nodes, computer (100) includes input/output(‘I/O’) nodes (110, 114) coupled to compute nodes (102) through one ofthe data communications networks (174). The I/O nodes (110, 114) provideI/O services between compute nodes (102) and I/O devices (118, 120,122). I/O nodes (110, 114) are connected for data communications I/Odevices (118, 120, 122) through local area network (‘LAN’) (130).Computer (100) also includes a service node (116) coupled to the computenodes through one of the networks (104). Service node (116) providesservice common to pluralities of compute nodes, loading programs intothe compute nodes, starting program execution on the compute nodes,retrieving results of program operations on the computer nodes, and soon. Service node (116) runs a service application (124) and communicateswith users (128) through a service application interface (126) that runson computer terminal (122).

Many of the components of the distributed processing system of FIG. 1,that is the devices of the distributed processing system or processesrunning on the devices of the distributed processing system of FIG. 1are capable of some form of error or status reporting through events andmany of such components are also capable of receiving alerts in responseto one or more of such events. Often in distributed processing systemsuseful according to embodiments of the present invention hundreds ofthousands or millions of components may provide events or receivealerts.

Each of the compute nodes of FIG. 1, for example, have installed uponthem an event reporting module (800). The event reporting module (800)is implemented as a module of automated computing machinery capable ofreporting events to the event and alert analysis module (124). Eachevent reporting module has installed upon it local event reporting rulesdictating particular events to be reported for particular conditions onthe component. Such conditions may include errors occurring on thecomponent, status of aspects of the component and others as will occurto those of skill in the art. Each such condition may have a particularevent associated with and event reporting rules dictate which events areto be reported for which conditions occurring on the component. Whileonly one event reporting module (800) is illustrated in FIG. 1, those ofskill in the art will recognize that many of the components of thedistributed processing system of FIG. 1 may support an event reportingmodule capable of reporting events to the event and alert analysismodule.

The service node (116) of FIG. 1 has installed upon it an event andalert analysis module (124) capable of relevant alert delivery withevent and alert suppression in a distributed processing system accordingto embodiments of the present invention. The event and alert analysismodule (124) of FIG. 1 is implemented as automated computing machinerycapable of receiving in an event queue a plurality of events from one ormore components of a distributed processing system; assigning by anevent analyzer each received event to an events pool; wherein the eventanalyzer includes event analysis rules including, event arrival rules,events pool operation rules, event suppression rules, and events poolclosure rules; identifying by the event analyzer in dependence upon theevent arrival rules and the events assigned to the events pool one ormore alerts; closing, by the event analyzer in dependence upon theevents pool operation rules, the events pool; determining, by the eventsanalyzer in dependence upon the event suppression rules, whether tosuppress one or more events in the closed events pool; and identifyingby the event analyzer in dependence upon the events pool closure rulesand any unsuppressed events assigned to the events pool, one or moreadditional alerts; sending by the event analyzer to an alert analyzerall the alerts identified by the event analyzer; assigning by the alertanalyzer the identified alerts to an alerts pool; determining by thealert analyzer in dependence upon alert analysis rules and the alerts inthe alert pool whether to suppress any alerts; and transmitting theunsuppressed alerts to one or more components of the distributedprocessing system.

In some embodiments the unsuppressed alerts are transmitted to one ormore components of the distributed processing system. One such componentmay be a terminal (122) for display to a systems administrator. Othercomponents may include a component that generated an event, a componentfor error reporting, a component for automated error recovery or anyother component that will occur to those of skill in the art.

The event and alert module (124) of FIG. 1 allows the number of eventsreceived and alerts produced at any given time to be less overwhelmingto a systems administrator (128) attempting to identify a problem oroccurrence in the distributed processing system. Relevant alert deliverywith event and alert suppression according to embodiments of the presentinvention provides alerts that are more meaningful to a user indetermining how to administer the functions and errors associated with adistributed processing system.

As mentioned above, each component of the distributed processing systemmay report events based upon event reporting rules. In the example ofFIG. 1, the event and alert analysis module (124) is capable of dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem by receiving, by an events analyzer from an events queue, aplurality of events from one or more components of the distributedprocessing system; determining, by the events analyzer in dependenceupon the received events and one or more event analysis rules, to changethe event reporting rules of one or more components; and instructing, bythe events analyzer, the one or more components to change the eventreporting rules. The components receiving the instruction are thencapable of receiving the instruction to change the event reporting rulesand changing the event reporting rules in accordance with theinstruction.

The arrangement of nodes, networks, and I/O devices making up theexemplary distributed processing system illustrated in FIG. 1 are forexplanation only, not for limitation of the present invention.Distributed data processing systems capable of relevant alert deliveryand dynamic administration of component event reporting according toembodiments of the present invention may include additional nodes,networks, devices, and architectures, not shown in FIG. 1, as will occurto those of skill in the art. The parallel computer (100) in the exampleof FIG. 1 includes sixteen compute nodes (102); parallel computerscapable of relevant alert delivery according to embodiments of thepresent invention sometimes include thousands of compute nodes. Inaddition to Ethernet and JTAG, networks in such data processing systemsmay support many data communications protocols including for example TCP(Transmission Control Protocol), IP (Internet Protocol), and others aswill occur to those of skill in the art. Various embodiments of thepresent invention may be implemented on a variety of hardware platformsin addition to those illustrated in FIG. 1.

Relevant alert delivery with event and alert suppression and dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem in accordance with the present invention is generally implementedwith computers, that is, with automated computing machinery. In thesystem of FIG. 1, for example, all the service nodes, I/O nodes, computenodes, of the parallel computer are implemented to some extent at leastas computers. For further explanation, therefore, FIG. 2 sets forth ablock diagram of automated computing machinery comprising an exemplarycomputer (152) useful in relevant alert delivery according toembodiments of the present invention. The computer (152) of FIG. 2includes at least one computer processor (156) or ‘CPU’ as well asrandom access memory (168) (‘RAM’) which is connected through a highspeed memory bus (166) and bus adapter (158) to processor (156) and toother components of the computer (152) and through an expansion bus toadapters for communications with other components of a distributedprocessing system (101).

Stored in RAM (168) is an event and alert analysis module (124), amodule of automated computing machinery for relevant alert deliveryaccording to embodiments of the present invention. The event and alertanalysis module (124) includes an event analyzer (208) and an alertanalyzer (218). The event analyzer of FIG. 2 is a module of automatedcomputing machinery capable of identifying alerts in dependence uponreceived events. That is, event analyzers typically receive events andproduce alerts. In many embodiments, a plurality of event analyzers areimplemented in parallel. Often such event analyzers are assigned to aparticular pool of events and may be focused on events from a particularcomponent or caused by a particular occurrence to produce a more conciseset of alerts.

The alert analyzer of FIG. 2 is a module of automated computingmachinery capable of identifying alerts for transmission from events andother alerts, identifying additional alerts for transmission, andsuppressing unnecessary, irrelevant, or otherwise unwanted alertsidentified by the event analyzer. That is, alert analyzers typicallyreceive alerts and events and produce or forward alerts in dependenceupon those alerts and events. In many embodiments, a plurality of alertanalyzers are implemented in parallel. Often such alert analyzers areassigned to a particular pool of alerts and may be focused on alertswith particular attributes to produce a more concise set of alerts.

The event and alert analysis module (124) of FIG. 2 includes computerprogram instructions for receiving in an event queue a plurality ofevents from one or more components (for example, 100, 182, 181, 180, and170) of a distributed processing system (101); assigning by the eventanalyzer (208) each received event to an events pool; identifying by theevent analyzer (208) in dependence upon the event arrival rules and theevents assigned to the events pool one or more alerts; closing, by theevent analyzer (208) in dependence upon the events pool operation rules,the events pool; determining, by the events analyzer (208) in dependenceupon the event suppression rules, whether to suppress one or more eventsin the closed events pool; identifying by the event analyzer (208) independence upon the events pool closure rules and any unsuppressedevents assigned to the events pool, one or more additional alerts;sending by the event analyzer (208) to the alert analyzer (218) all thealerts identified by the event analyzer; assigning by the alert analyzer(218) the identified alerts to an alerts pool; determining by the alertanalyzer (218) in dependence upon alert analysis rules and the alerts inthe alert pool whether to suppress any alerts; and transmitting (420)the unsuppressed alerts to one or more components of the distributedprocessing system.

The event and alert analysis module (124) of FIG. 2 includes computerprogram instructions for dynamic administration of component eventreporting in a distributed processing system including computer programinstructions for receiving, by an events analyzer (208) from an eventsqueue, a plurality of events from one or more components of thedistributed processing system; determining, by the events analyzer (208)in dependence upon the received events and one or more event analysisrules, to change the event reporting rules of one or more components;and instructing, by the events analyzer (208), the one or morecomponents to change the event reporting rules.

Also stored in RAM (168) is an operating system (154). Operating systemsuseful for relevant alert delivery according to embodiments of thepresent invention include UNIX™ Linux™ Microsoft XP™ AIX™ IBM's i5/OS™and others as will occur to those of skill in the art. The operatingsystem (154), event and alert analysis module (124), the event analyzer(208), the alert analyzer (218) in the example of FIG. 2 are shown inRAM (168), but many components of such software typically are stored innon-volatile memory also, such as, for example, on a disk drive (170).

The computer (152) of FIG. 2 includes disk drive adapter (172) coupledthrough expansion bus (160) and bus adapter (158) to processor (156) andother components of the computer (152). Disk drive adapter (172)connects non-volatile data storage to the computer (152) in the form ofdisk drive (170). Disk drive adapters useful in computers for relevantalert delivery and dynamic administration of component event reportingaccording to embodiments of the present invention include IntegratedDrive Electronics (‘IDE’) adapters, Small Computer System Interface(‘SCSI’) adapters, and others as will occur to those of skill in theart. Non-volatile computer memory also may be implemented for as anoptical disk drive, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory(so-called ‘EEPROM’ or ‘Flash’ memory), RAM drives, and so on, as willoccur to those of skill in the art.

The example computer (152) of FIG. 2 includes one or more input/output(‘I/O’) adapters (178). I/O adapters implement user-orientedinput/output through, for example, software drivers and computerhardware for controlling output to display devices such as computerdisplay screens, as well as user input from user input devices (181)such as keyboards and mice. The example computer (152) of FIG. 2includes a video adapter (209), which is an example of an I/O adapterspecially designed for graphic output to a display device (180) such asa display screen or computer monitor. Video adapter (209) is connectedto processor (156) through a high speed video bus (164), bus adapter(158), and the front side bus (162), which is also a high speed bus.

The exemplary computer (152) of FIG. 2 includes a communications adapter(167) for data communications with other computers (182) and for datacommunications with a data communications network (100). Such datacommunications may be carried out serially through RS-232 connections,through external buses such as a Universal Serial Bus (‘USB’), throughdata communications data communications networks such as IP datacommunications networks, and in other ways as will occur to those ofskill in the art. Communications adapters implement the hardware levelof data communications through which one computer sends datacommunications to another computer, directly or through a datacommunications network. Examples of communications adapters useful forrelevant alert delivery and dynamic administration of component eventreporting according to embodiments of the present invention includemodems for wired dial-up communications, Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) adaptersfor wired data communications network communications, and 802.11adapters for wireless data communications network communications.

For further explanation, FIG. 3 sets forth a block diagram of anexemplary system for relevant alert delivery and dynamic administrationof component event reporting in a distributed processing system (102)according to embodiments of the present invention. The system of FIG. 3includes an event and alert analysis module (124). The event and alertanalysis module (124) of FIG. 3 receives in an event queue (206) aplurality of events (202) from one or more components of a distributedprocessing system (102). A component of a distributed processing systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention may be a device of thedistributed processing system or a process running on a device of thedistributed processing. Many of such components are often capable ofsome form event transmission, often for error or status reporting. Suchcomponents often have installed upon them event reporting modules forreporting events in dependence upon event reporting rules for theindividual component. Many of such event reporting rules may be, andoften are, changeable and may be changed locally by the component inresponse to an instruction from an event and alert analysis module.

An event according to embodiments of the present invention is anotification of a particular occurrence in or on a component of thedistributed processing system. Such events are sent from the componentupon which the occurrence occurred or another reporting component to anevent and alert analysis module according to the present invention.Often events are notifications of errors occurring in a component of thedata processing system. Events are often implemented as messages eithersent through a data communications network or shared memory. Typicalevents for event and alert analysis according to embodiments of thepresent invention an occurred time, a logged time, an event type, anevent ID, a reporting component, and a source component, and otherattributes. An occurred time is the time at which the event occurred onthe component. A logged time is the time the event was included in theevent queue (206) and is typically inserted into the event by themonitor (204) in the example of FIG. 3. An event type is a generic typeof event such as for example, power error, link failure error, errorsrelated to not receiving messages or dropping packets and so on as willoccur to those of skill in the art. An event ID is a uniqueidentification of the event. A reporting component is an identificationof the component that reported the event. A source component is anidentification of the component upon which the event occurred. In manycases, but not all, the reporting component and source component are thesame component of the distributed processing system.

In the example of FIG. 3, the event and alert analysis module (124)includes a monitor (204) that receives events from components of thedistributed processing system and puts the received events (202) in theevent queue (206). The monitor (204) of FIG. 3 may receive events fromcomponents of the distributed processing system on their motion, mayperiodically poll one or more of the components of the distributedprocessing system, or receive events from components in other ways aswill occur to those of skill in the art.

They system of FIG. 3 includes an event analyzer (208). The eventanalyzer (208) of FIG. 3 is a module of automated computing machinerycapable of identifying alerts in dependence upon received events. Thatis, event analyzers typically receive events and produce alerts. In manyembodiments, a plurality of event analyzers are implemented in parallel.Often event analyzers are assigned to a particular pool of events andmay be focused on events from a particular component or caused by aparticular occurrence to produce a more concise set of alerts.

The event analyzer (208) of FIG. 3 assigns each received event (202) toan events pool (212). An events pool (212) is a collection of eventsorganized by the time of either their occurrence, by the time they arelogged in the event queue, included in the events pool, or other time aswill occur to those of skill in the art. That is, event pools are acollection of events organized by time. Such events pools often providethe ability to analyze a group of time related events identify alerts independence upon them. Often such event pools are useful in identifyingfewer and more relevant alerts in dependence upon multiple relatedevents.

An events pool according to the method of FIG. 3 has a predeterminedinitial period of time and in the example of FIG. 3 assigning by theevent analyzer each received event to an events pool includes extendingfor each event assigned to the events pool the predetermined initialperiod of time by a particular period of time assigned to the event. Inthis manner, the pool is extended with each received event until acollection of events that may be usefully used to identify alerts isassigned to the events pool.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments of the present invention, morethan one event analyzer may operate in parallel. As such, each eventanalyzer may maintain one or more event pools for relevant alertdelivery according to embodiments of the present invention. Assigning bythe event analyzer the events to an events pool may therefore includeselecting only events from one or more particular components. In suchembodiments, particular components may be selected for a particularevents pool to provide events associated with a particular period oftime from a particular set of one or more components.

Assigning by the event analyzer the events to an events pool may also becarried out by selecting only events of a particular event type. In suchembodiments, particular events may be selected for a particular eventspool to provide events associated with a particular period of time froma particular set of event types.

Event analyzer (208) in the example of FIG. 3 identifies in dependenceupon the event analysis rules (210) and the events assigned to theevents pool one or more alerts (214). Event analyses rules (210) are acollection of predetermined rules for meaningfully parsing receivedevents to identify relevant alerts in dependence upon the events.

The event analysis rules (210) of FIG. 3 include event arrival rules(230), events pool operation rules (232), event suppression rules (234),and events pool closure rules (236). Event arrival rules (230) areconfigurable predetermined rules for identifying alerts in dependenceupon events in real time as those events are assigned to the eventspool. That is, event arrival rules (230) identify alerts in dependenceupon events before closing the events pool. Such rules are typicallypredetermined to identify particular alerts in dependence uponattributes of those events. Event arrival rules may for example dictateidentifying a particular predetermined alert for transmission to asystems administrator in dependence upon a particular event type orcomponent type for the event or other attribute of that event. Suchrules are flexible and may be tailored to a particular distributedcomputing system and its functions.

An alert according to embodiments of the present invention is refinedidentification of an occurrence—such and an error—based upon more thanone event and therefore provides an identification of the occurrence inthe context of its operation in the distributed processing system. Oftenan alert may be a notification of a particular error type of occurrencethat is identified in dependence upon the plurality of events receivedfrom one or more components of the data processing system, such as, forexample, a link failure among a plurality of devices each of which areproducing many events based upon the single link failure, or a powerfailure provoking thousands of events, and so on.

Alerts are often implemented as messages to be sent through a datacommunications network or shared memory. Typical alerts according toembodiments of the present invention have attributes attached to thembased upon the attributes of the events received from which they areidentified.

Events pool operation rules (232) are configurable predetermined rulesfor controlling the operations of the events pool. Such rules includesrules identifying the initial predetermined period of time for eachevents pool, rules dictating the length of time extended to the poolupon the assignment of each new event to the pool, rules dictating theminimum time an event must be in a pool before that event is included ina collection of events when the pool is closed, rules governing theclosing of an events pool, and others as will occur to those of skill inthe art. Such rules are flexible and may be tailored to a particulardistributed computing system and its functions.

Event suppression rules (234) are configurable predetermined rules forsuppressing one or more events in a pool of events used in identifyingalerts. That is, often events in the events pool may be duplicateevents, redundant events, or otherwise unnecessary or unhelpful eventsin identifying alerts. Such suppression rules are typicallypredetermined to delete, drop, or otherwise ignore those suppressedevents. Event suppression rules may for example dictate that more than athreshold number of events of a particular event type or component typeare to be suppressed. Such rules are also flexible and may be tailoredto a particular distributed computing system and its functions.

Events pool closure rules (236) are configurable predetermined rules foridentifying alerts in dependence upon unsuppressed events in the closedevents pool and alerts identified by the event arrival rules. That is,events pool closure rules identify new alerts in dependence upon one ormore or even all of the unsuppressed events in the closed events pool.The events pool closure rules also identify alerts in dependence uponthe alerts identified by the event arrival rules (230) or a combinationof the alerts identified by the event arrival rules (230) and one ormore of the unsuppressed events in the closed events pool.

Event analyzer (208) in the example of FIG. 3 also may dynamicallyadminister component event reporting by determining, in dependence uponthe received events and one or more event analysis rules (210), tochange the event reporting rules of one or more components andinstructing, by the events analyzer, the one or more components tochange the event reporting rules. The event analysis rules (210) of FIG.3 include component reporting change rules including rules dictating theconditions under which an event analyzer will instruct one or morecomponents of the distributed processing system to locally change itsevent reporting rules. Examples of such rules may include rules thatinstruct a component to locally suppress locally events of a particulartype when too many redundant events of that type are being received orwhen the arrival rate of events are greater than a threshold rate, rulesthat instruct a component to report events of a particular type underparticular conditions, rules that instruct a component to stop locallysuppressing events of a particular type under particular conditions,rules that change the type of event being sent by the component undercertain conditions and many others as will occur to those of skill inthe art.

Event analyzer (208) in the example of FIG. 3 sends all the alerts (214)identified by the event analyzer (208) to an alert analyzer (218). Thealert analyzer of FIG. 3 is a module of automated computing machinerycapable of identifying alerts for transmission from events and otheralerts, identifying additional alerts for transmission, and suppressingunnecessary, irrelevant, or otherwise unwanted or unhelpful alertsidentified by the event analyzer. That is, alert analyzers typicallyreceive alerts and events and produce or forward alerts in dependenceupon those alerts and events. In many embodiments, a plurality of alertanalyzers are implemented in parallel. The alerts (216) in the exampleof FIG. 3 are sent from event analyzer (208) to an alert analyzer (218)through an alerts queue (216).

The alert analyzer (218) of FIG. 3 assigns each of the identified alerts(214) to an alerts pool (224). An alerts pool (224) is a collection ofalerts organized by the time of one or more the events causing the alertto be identified, the time the alert is identified, or other time aswill occur to those of skill in the art. That is, alerts pools are acollection of alerts organized by time. Such alerts pools often providethe ability to analyze a group of alerts identified and included in thealerts pool according to some time. Often such alerts pools are usefulin identifying fewer and more relevant alerts in dependence uponmultiple related events and multiple related alerts.

The alert analyzer may assign the identified alerts to an alerts pool(224) in dependence upon attributes of the alerts or attributes of theevents from which those alerts were identified. For example, the alertanalyzer of FIG. 3 may assign alerts to the alerts pool (224) byselecting alerts generated from events from one or more particularcomponents, alerts associated with a particular alert type and so on aswill occur to those of skill in the art.

The alert analyzer (218) of FIG. 3 determines in dependence upon alertanalysis rules (222) and the alerts in the alert pool whether tosuppress any alerts. Suppressing an alert is typically carried out bydropping the alert, deleting the alert or otherwise ignoring or nottransmitting the suppressed alert to a component of the distributedprocessing system.

Alert analyses rules (222) are a collection of rules for suppressing oneor more alerts to provide a more relevant set of alerts for transmissionto a component of the distributed processing system, such as forexample, for display to a systems administrator and to identifyadditional alerts for transmission to one or more components of thedistributed processing system. Alert analysis rules for example maydictate that duplicate alerts are to be suppressed, alerts of aparticular type for transmission to a particular component are to besuppressed, alerts of a particular type be transmitted to a particularcomponent are to be suppressed and so on as will occur to those of skillin the art. Such alerts may be more meaningful to a component of thedistributed processing system for automated error recovery or for asystems administrator who may otherwise be less informed by a number ofraw unanalyzed alerts.

The alert analyzer (218) of FIG. 3 also has access to the events queue(206). The alert analyzer (218) of FIG. 3 in dependence upon the alertanalysis rules may, in some embodiments select events from the eventsqueue and determine whether to suppress any alerts in dependence uponthe selected events. That is, alert analysis rules may also take intoaccount events and their attributes for suppressing alerts and foridentifying additional alerts for transmission to one or morecomponents. Such events may be related to the alerts in the alerts poolor independent from such alerts.

The alert analyzer (218) of FIG. 3 transmits the unsuppressed alerts toone or more components of the distributed processing system. The alertanalyzer may transmit the unsuppressed alerts to one or more componentsof the distributed processing system by sending the alert as a messageacross a data communications network, through shared memory, or in otherways as will occur to those of skill in the art. In the example of FIG.3, the unsuppressed alerts (220) are transmitted to a terminal (122) fordisplay to a systems administrator (128).

The alert analyzer (218) of FIG. 3 is also capable of identifying independence upon alert analysis rules (222), the alerts in the alert pool(224), and selected events (206) one or more additional alerts andtransmitting the one or more components of the distributed processingsystem. The additional alerts may include one or more alerts notidentified by the event analyzer. Such additional alerts may provideadditional information to a component of the distributed processingsystem of a systems administrator.

As mentioned above, relevant alert delivery and dynamic administrationof component event reporting according to the present invention includesassigning events to an event pool. For further explanation, FIG. 4 setsforth a diagram illustrating assigning events to an event pool accordingto embodiments of the present invention. An events pool (212) is acollection of events organized by the time of either their occurrence,by the time they are logged in the event queue, included in the eventspool, or other time as will occur to those of skill in the art. That is,event pools are a collection of events organized by time. Such eventspools often provide the ability to analyze a group of time relatedevents and to identify alerts in dependence upon them. Often such eventpools are useful in identifying fewer and more relevant alerts independence upon multiple related events.

Events pools according to embodiments of the present invention aretypically operated according to events pool operation rules which arethemselves often included in event analysis rules. Such events pooloperation rules are configurable predetermined rules for controlling theoperations of the events pool. Such rules includes rules identifying theinitial predetermined period of time for each events pool, rulesdictating the length of time extended to the pool upon the assignment ofeach new event to the pool, rules dictating the minimum time an eventmust be in a pool before that event is included in a collection ofevents when the pool is closed, rules governing the closing of an eventspool, and others as will occur to those of skill in the art. Such rulesare flexible and may be tailored to a particular distributed computingsystem and its functions.

Events are often assigned to an events pool according to their loggedtime. That is, events are typically inserted into the events pool in theorder that they are received in the event queue. In the example of FIG.4, the timing of the events pool (212) is initiated when the first event‘Event 0’ (402) is assigned to the events pool (212) at time t₀. Theevents pool of FIG. 4 is initiated for a predetermined initial period oftime from t₁ to t_(f). That is, upon receiving the first event ‘Event 0’(402) the events pool of FIG. 4 has a predetermined initial period oftime beginning at t₁ and ending at t_(f). The predetermined initialperiod of time may be configured in dependence upon a number of factorsas will occur to those of skill in the art such as, the number ofcomponents in the distributed processing system, the frequency ofreceiving events, the types of events typically received and so on aswill occur to those of skill in the art.

In the example FIG. 4, the initial period of time is extended for eachnew event assigned to the events pool during the predetermined initialperiod from t₁ to t_(f) by a particular period of time assigned to theevent. In the example of FIG. 4 upon assigning ‘Event 1’ (402) to theevents pool (212) the predetermined initial period of time t₀-t_(f) isextended by ‘Extension 1’ (406) having a time of el thereby creating anew time for closing the events pool (212) at t_(f+e1) if no otherevents are assigned to the pool before t_(f+e1). Similarly, in theexample of FIG. 4 upon assigning ‘Event 2’ (404) to the events poolhaving a time of e2, the now extended period of time from t₀-t_(f+e1) isextended again by extension 2 (406) thereby establishing a new time forclosing the pool at time t_(f+e1+e2) if no other events are assigned tothe pool before t_(f+e1+e2) or before some maximum time for the eventspool has expired. In this manner, the event pool is extended with eachreceived event until a collection of events that may be usefully used toidentify alerts is assigned to the events pool.

In typical embodiments of the present invention, event pools may have amaximum duration that can no longer be extended. In such cases, arequirement may exist that an event that has not resided in the eventpool for a threshold period of time be moved to a next events pool. Insome embodiments, the attributes of such an event that is moved to thenext events pool are used for relevant alert delivery according toembodiments of the present invention with the initial events pool and inother embodiments, the attributes of such an event are used for relevantalert delivery with the next events pool to which that event is moved.

In many embodiments, a plurality of events pools may be used in paralleland one or more of such events pools are assigned to a particular eventsanalyzer. In such embodiments, events analyzers may be directed toevents in events pools having particular attributes.

As mentioned above, relevant alert delivery and dynamic administrationof component event reporting according to the present invention alsoincludes assigning alerts to an alerts pool. For further explanation,FIG. 5 sets forth a diagram illustrating assigning alerts to an alertpool according to embodiments of the present invention. The alerts pool(224) of FIG. 5 operates in a manner similar to the events pool of FIG.4. That is, the alerts pool according to the example of FIG. 5 includesalerts and the timing of the alerts pool begins with the first alert‘Alert 0’ (500) at time t₀ and is configured to have a predeterminedinitial period of time t₀-tf. In the example of FIG. 5, the initialperiod of time is extended for each new alert assigned to the alertspool in the predetermined initial period from t_(i) to t_(f) by aparticular period of time assigned to the alert. In the example of FIG.5, upon assigning ‘Alert 1’ (502) to the alerts pool (224) thepredetermined initial period of time t₀-t_(f) is extended by ‘Extension1’ (506) having a time of e1 thereby creating a new time for closing thealerts pool (224) at t_(f+e1) if no other alerts are assigned to thepool before t_(f+e1). Similarly, in the example of FIG. 4 upon assigning‘Alert 2’ (504) to the alerts pool having a time of e2, the now extendedperiod of time from t₀-t_(f+e1) is extended again by ‘Extension 2’ (406)thereby establishing a new time for closing the pool at timet_(f+e1 +e2) if no other alerts are assigned to the pool before t_(f)_(e1+e2) or before some maximum time for the alerts pool has expired.

In typical embodiments of the present invention, alerts pools may have amaximum duration that can no longer be extended. In such cases, arequirement may exist that an alert that has not resided in the alertpool for a threshold period of time be moved to a next alerts pool. Insome embodiments, the attributes of such an alert that is moved to thenext alerts pool are used for relevant alert delivery according toembodiments of the present invention with the initial alerts pool and inother embodiments, the attributes of such an alert are used for relevantalert delivery with the next alerts pool to which that alert is moved.

In many embodiments, a plurality of alerts pools may be used in paralleland one or more of such alerts pools are assigned to a particular alertsanalyzer. In such embodiments, alerts analyzers may be directed toalerts in alerts pools having particular attributes.

For further explanation, FIG. 6 sets forth a flow chart illustrating anexample method of relevant alert delivery with event and alertsuppression in a distributed processing system according to embodimentsof the present invention. The method of FIG. 6 includes receiving (402)in an event queue a plurality of events (202) from one or morecomponents of a distributed processing system. Events useful in relevantalert delivery with event and alert suppression according to embodimentsof the present invention may include an occurred time, a logged time, anevent type, an event ID, a reporting component, and a source component.

Receiving (402) in an event queue a plurality of events (202) from oneor more components of a distributed processing system may be carried outby receiving an event initiated by one or more components of the dataprocessing system and storing the event in the event queue according tothe time in which the event occurred or according to the time the eventwas received. Receiving (402) in an event queue a plurality of events(202) from one or more components of a distributed processing systemalso may be carried out by polling a component for status and receivingin response an event and storing the event in the event queue accordingto the time in which the event occurred or according to the time theevent was received.

The method of FIG. 6 also includes assigning (404) by an event analyzereach received event to an events pool (212). In some embodiments of thepresent invention, assigning (404) by an event analyzer each receivedevent (202) to an events pool (212) may be carried out by assigningevents to the event pool according to the logged time. Assigning (404)by an event analyzer each received event (202) to an events pool (212)may also be carried out in dependence upon attributes of the event. Suchattributes may include an identification or type of the component uponwhich an occurrence occurred to create the event, the reportingcomponent of the event, the event ID, the event type, and so on as willoccur to those of skill in the art.

An events pool according to the method of FIG. 6 includes eventsoccurring during a predetermined initial period of time and in theexample of FIG. 6 assigning (404) by the event analyzer each receivedevent to an events pool includes extending (426) for each event assignedto the events pool the predetermined initial period of time by aparticular period of time assigned to the event.

The event analyzer includes event analysis rules (210) including, eventarrival rules, events pool operation rules, event suppression rules, andevents pool closure rules. Event arrival rules are configurablepredetermined rules for identifying alerts in dependence upon events inreal time as those events are assigned to the events pool. That is,event arrival rules identify alerts in dependence upon events beforeclosing the events pool. Such rules are flexible and may be tailored toa particular distributed computing system and its functions.

An alert according to embodiments of the present invention is refinedidentification of an occurrence—such and an error—based upon more thanone event and therefore provides an identification of the occurrence inthe context of its operation in the distributed processing system. Oftenan alert may be a notification of a particular error type of occurrencethat is identified in dependence upon the plurality of events receivedfrom one or more components of the data processing system, such as, forexample, a link failure among a plurality of devices each of which areproducing many events based upon the single link failure, or a powerfailure provoking thousands of events, and so on.

Alerts are often implemented as messages to be sent through a datacommunications network or shared memory. Typical alerts according toembodiments of the present invention have attributes attached to thembased upon the attributes of the events received from which they areidentified.

Events pool operation rules are configurable predetermined rules forcontrolling the operations of the events pool. Such rules includes rulesidentifying the initial predetermined period of time for each eventspool, rules dictating the length of time extended to the pool upon theassignment of each new event to the pool, rules dictating the minimumtime an event must be in a pool before that event is included in acollection of events when the pool is closed, rules governing theclosing of an events pool, and others as will occur to those of skill inthe art. Such rules are flexible and may be tailored to a particulardistributed computing system and its functions.

Event suppression rules are configurable predetermined rules forsuppressing one or more events in a closed pool of events used inidentifying alerts. That is, often events in the closed events pool maybe duplicate events, redundant events, or otherwise unnecessary orunhelpful events in identifying alerts. Such suppression rules aretypically predetermined to delete, drop, or otherwise ignore thosesuppressed events. Event suppression rules may for example dictate thatmore than a threshold number of events of a particular event type orcomponent type are to be suppressed. Such rules are also flexible andmay be tailored to a particular distributed computing system and itsfunctions.

Events pool closure rules are configurable predetermined rules foridentifying alerts in dependence upon unsuppressed events in the closedevents pool and alerts identified by the event arrival rules. That is,events pool closure rules identify new alerts in dependence upon one ormore or even all of the unsuppressed events in the closed events pool.The events pool closure rules also identify alerts in dependence uponthe alerts identified by the event arrival rules or a combination of thealerts identified by the event arrival rules and one or more of theunsuppressed events in the closed events pool.

The method of FIG. 6 also includes identifying (410) by the eventanalyzer in dependence upon the event arrival rules and the eventsassigned to the events pool one or more alerts (214). Identifying (410)by the event analyzer in dependence upon the event arrival rules and theevents assigned to the events pool one or more alerts (214) may becarried out by identifying alerts in dependence upon one or moreattributes of the events as that event is assigned to the events pool.Identifying (410) by the event analyzer in dependence upon the eventarrival rules and the events assigned to the events pool one or morealerts (214) may be carried by comparing the attributes of the events tothe event arrival rules and identifying as a result of the comparisonone or more alerts. Such attributes may include the type of componentfrom which the event was received, the type of component creating theevent, the identification of the component creating the event, the timethe event was created or received, an error reported in the event, andmany others as will occur to those of skill in the art.

The method of FIG. 6 also includes closing (412), by the event analyzerin dependence upon the events pool operation rules, the events pool(212). Closing (412), by the event analyzer in dependence upon theevents pool operation rules, the events pool (212) may be carried out bydetermining that conditions dictated by the events pool operation ruleshave been met to stop assigning new events to the events pool andidentifying in dependence upon those events pool operation rules theparticular events that are included in the closed pool of events.

Closing the events pool may be carried out by determining that theinitial period of time for the events pool and any particular periods oftime for events received in the events pool extended to the initialperiod of time have expired. In such cases, if no new events arereceived prior to the expiration of the initial period of time for theevents pool and any particular periods of time for events received inthe events pool extended to the initial period of time the pool isclosed.

Closing the events pool may also be carried out by determining that amaximum duration for the events pool has expired. In such cases,regardless of the number of new events being received after a maximumduration for the events pool has expired the pool is closed. In suchembodiments, a maximum duration for the events pool prevents the eventspool from including more events than are useful for relevant alertdelivery according to embodiments of the present invention.

The method of FIG. 6 also includes determining (414), by the eventsanalyzer in dependence upon the event suppression rules, whether tosuppress one or more events in the closed events pool (212). Determining(414), by the events analyzer in dependence upon the event suppressionrules, whether to suppress one or more events in the closed events pool(212) may be carried out by determining in dependence upon theattributes of one or more events in the closed pool whether to delete,drop, or otherwise ignore one or more of the events in the closed pool.

The method of FIG. 6 includes identifying (416) by the event analyzer independence upon the events pool closure rules and any unsuppressedevents assigned to the events pool, one or more additional alerts (417).Identifying (416) by the event analyzer in dependence upon the eventspool closure rules and any unsuppressed events assigned to the eventspool, one or more additional alerts (417) may be carried out byidentifying alerts in dependence upon one or more attributes of theevents as that event is assigned to the events pool. Identifying (416)by the event analyzer in dependence upon the events pool closure rulesand any unsuppressed events assigned to the events pool, one or moreadditional alerts (417) may be carried out by selecting the unsuppressedevents for the events pool, comparing the attributes of the unsuppressedevents of the events pool to the pool closure rules, and identifying asa result of the comparison one or more additional alerts. Suchattributes may include the type of component from which one or more ofthe unsuppressed events are received, the type of components creatingthe unsuppressed events, the identification of the component creatingthe unsuppressed events, the time the events were created or received,one or more errors reported by the events event, the number of events inthe pool, and many others as will occur to those of skill in the art.

The method of FIG. 6 includes sending (418) by the event analyzer to analert analyzer all the alerts identified by the event analyzer. Sending(418) by the event analyzer to an alert analyzer all the alerts (214)identified by the event analyzer may be carried out by sending a messagecontaining the alerts from the event analyzer to the alert analyzer.Such a message may be sent from the event analyzer to the alert analyzeracross a network, through shared memory, or in other ways as will occurto those of skill in the art.

The method of FIG. 6 includes assigning (420) by the alert analyzer theidentified alerts to an alerts pool (224). An alerts pool according tothe method of FIG. 6 has a predetermined initial period of time and inthe example of FIG. 6 assigning (420) by the alert analyzer theidentified alerts to an alerts pool (224) includes extending for eachalert assigned to the alerts pool the predetermined initial period oftime by a particular period of time assigned to the alert. Assigning(420) by the alert analyzer the identified alerts to an alerts pool(224) also may be carried out in dependence upon attributes of thealerts. Such attributes may include an identification or type of thecomponent upon which an occurrence occurred to create the event that wasused to identify the alert, the alert ID, the alert type, and so on aswill occur to those of skill in the art.

The method of FIG. 6 includes determining (422) by the alert analyzer independence upon alert analysis rules (222) and the alerts in the alertpool whether to suppress any alerts. Determining (422) by the alertanalyzer in dependence upon alert analysis rules (222) and the alerts inthe alert pool whether to suppress any alerts may be carried out independence upon one or more attributes of the alerts. Such attributesmay include an identification or type of the component upon which anoccurrence occurred to create the event that was used to identify thealert, the alert ID, the alert type, and so on as will occur to those ofskill in the art. In such embodiments, determining (422) by the alertanalyzer in dependence upon alert analysis rules (222) and the alerts inthe alert pool whether to suppress any alerts may be carried out bycomparing the attributes of the alerts in the alerts pool to the alertanalysis rules and identifying as a result of the comparison one or morealerts for suppression according to the event analysis rules.

The method of FIG. 6 includes transmitting (420) the unsuppressed alertsto one or more components of the distributed processing system.Transmitting (420) the unsuppressed alerts to one or more components ofthe distributed processing system may be carried out by sending amessage containing the alert to one or more components of thedistributed processing system. In many cases, an alert may be sent as amessage to a systems administrator advising the systems administrator ofone or more occurrences within the distributed processing system.

As mentioned above, alert analysis rules may select additional alerts orsuppress alerts in dependence upon events. In such embodiments,determining whether to suppress any alerts includes selecting events anddetermining whether to suppress any alerts in dependence upon theselected events. The method of FIG. 6 therefore also includesidentifying (426) by the alert analyzer in dependence upon alertanalysis rules (222), the alerts in the alert pool (224), and anyselected events one or more additional alerts and in the method of FIG.6, transmitting (428) the unsuppressed alerts also includes transmitting(430) any additional alerts to one or more components of the distributedprocessing system.

In certain situations in a distributed processing system, it may bebeneficial to dynamically administer the event reporting of one or morecomponents of the distributed processing system at the component itselfrather than suppressing an event or changing the event received in anevent and alert analysis module. For further explanation, therefore,FIG. 7 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an example method of dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem according to embodiments of the present invention. The method ofFIG. 7 includes receiving (802), by an events analyzer from an eventsqueue (206), a plurality of events (202) from one or more components ofthe distributed processing system. Receiving (802), by an eventsanalyzer from an events queue (206), a plurality of events (202) fromone or more components of the distributed processing system may becarried out by receiving an event initiated by one or more components ofthe data processing system and storing the event in the event queue,polling a component for status and receiving in response an event andstoring the event in the event queue, or in other ways as will occur tothose of skill in the art. As mentioned above, events are oftenimplemented as messages that may be transmitted through a datacommunications network, shared memory, or in other ways as will occur tothose of skill in the art.

The method of FIG. 7 includes assigning (804), by the event analyzer,one or of the events an events pool (212). Assigning (804), by the eventanalyzer, one or of the events an events pool (212) may be carried outas described above.

The method of FIG. 7 includes determining (806), by the events analyzerin dependence upon the received events and one or more event analysisrules (210), to change the event reporting rules of one or morecomponents. As mentioned, events analysis rules according to someembodiments of the present invention include component reporting changerules that including rules dictating the conditions under which an eventanalyzer will instruct one or more components of the distributedprocessing system to locally change its event reporting rules. Examplesof such rules may include rules that instruct a component to locallysuppress events of a particular type when too many redundant events ofthat type are being received or when the arrival rate of events isgreater than a threshold rate, rules that instruct a component to reportevents of a particular type under particular conditions, rules thatinstruct a component to stop locally suppressing events of a particulartype under particular conditions, rules that change the type of eventbeing sent by the component under certain conditions and many others aswill occur to those of skill in the art.

Determining (806), by the events analyzer in dependence upon thereceived events and one or more event analysis rules (210), to changethe event reporting rules of one or more components may be carried outby comparing the number of or attributes of one or more events in theevents pool with the event analysis rules and identifying that thenumber of or attributes of the events conform to a rule to change theevent reporting rules of one or more components of the distributedprocessing system.

The method of FIG. 7 includes instructing (808), by the events analyzer,the one or more components to change the event reporting rules.Instructing (808), by the events analyzer, the one or more components tochange the event reporting rules may include instructing the componentto suppress events of a particular event type, instructing the componentto delay sending events for a particular period of time, instructing thecomponent to suppress events for a particular duration of time,instructing the component to discontinue suppressing events of aparticular event type, instructing the component to change the type ofevent reported under certain conditions, and so on as will occur tothose of skill in the art.

Instructing (808), by the events analyzer, the one or more components tochange the event reporting rules may be carried out by sending a messageto the one or more components with an instruction to change the eventreporting of the one or more components. In some embodiments, thecomponent may receive such a message and change the event reportingrules locally from one predetermined event reporting rule to anotherpredetermined event reporting rule. In other embodiments, an eventanalyzer may send in the message a new event reporting rule to beinstalled locally on the component.

In the example of FIG. 7, events are assigned to an events pool prior todetermining to change the event reporting rules of one or morecomponents. In alternative embodiments, however, an events analyzer maydetermine that an event reporting rule is be changed in dependence uponan event without assigning that event to the events pool. In suchembodiments, one or more events are compared with event analysis rulesbefore being assigned to the events pool to determine whether toinstruct one or more components to change their event reporting rules.

The method of FIG. 7 includes receiving (812), by the one or morecomponents, the instruction to change the event reporting rules.Receiving (812), by the one or more components, the instruction tochange the event reporting rules may be carried out by receiving amessage to change the reporting rules locally on the one or morecomponents through a data communications network, shared memory, or inother ways as will occur to those of skill in the art.

The method of FIG. 7 also includes changing (814), by the one or morecomponents, the event reporting rules in accordance with theinstruction. In some embodiments, changing (814), by the one or morecomponents, the event reporting rules in accordance with the instructionmay include locally changing from one already installed predeterminedevent reporting rule to another already installed predetermined eventreporting rule. In some other embodiments, changing (814), by the one ormore components, the event reporting rules in accordance with theinstruction may be carried out by receiving from the events analyzer anew event reporting rule, installing the event reporting rule locally,and using the rule to report events under certain conditions.

As mentioned above, one example condition under which an events analyzermay instruct one or more components to change event reporting rules mayinclude receiving from one or more components events that exceed aparticular arrival rate. For further explanation, therefore, FIG. 8 setsforth a flow chart illustrating an additional method of dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem according to embodiments of the present invention. The method ofFIG. 8 is similar to the method of FIG. 7 in that the method of

FIG. 8 includes receiving (802), by an events analyzer from an eventsqueue (206), a plurality of events (202) from one or more components ofthe distributed processing system; assigning (804), by the eventanalyzer, one or of the events an events pool (212); determining (806),by the events analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one ormore event analysis rules (210), to change the event reporting rules ofone or more components; instructing (808), by the events analyzer, theone or more components to change the event reporting rules; receiving(812), by the one or more components, the instruction to change theevent reporting rules; and changing (814), by the one or morecomponents, the event reporting rules in accordance with theinstruction.

The method of FIG. 8 differs from the method of FIG. 7 in that in themethod of FIG. 7 determining (806), by the events analyzer in dependenceupon the received events and one or more events analysis rules, tochange the event reporting rules of one or more components includesdetermining (820) whether an arrival rate of one or events of aparticular event type from one or more components of the distributedprocessing system is greater than a predetermined threshold (816).Determining (820) whether an arrival rate of one or events of aparticular event type from one or more components of the distributedprocessing system is greater than a predetermined threshold (816) may becarried out by calculating an arrival rate for a particular type ofevents from particular components and comparing the calculated arrivalrate with the predetermined threshold (816).

As mentioned above, another example condition under which an eventsanalyzer may instruct one or more components to change event reportingrules may include receiving from one or more components events thatexceed a particular threshold number for such events. FIG. 9 sets fortha flow chart illustrating an additional method of dynamic administrationof component event reporting in a distributed processing systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention. The method of FIG. 9is similar to the method of FIGS. 7 and 8 in that the method of FIG. 9includes receiving (802), by an events analyzer from an events queue(206), a plurality of events (202) from one or more components of thedistributed processing system; assigning (804), by the event analyzer,one or of the events an events pool (212); determining (806), by theevents analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one or moreevent analysis rules (210), to change the event reporting rules of oneor more components; instructing (808), by the events analyzer, the oneor more components to change the event reporting rules; receiving (812),by the one or more components, the instruction to change the eventreporting rules; and changing (814), by the one or more components, theevent reporting rules in accordance with the instruction.

The method of FIG. 9 differs from the method of FIGS. 7 and 8 in that inthe method of FIG. 7 determining (806) in dependence upon one or more ofthe events in the events pool to change the event reporting rules of theone or more components determining (822) that a threshold number (818)of events of a particular kind are assigned to the events pool.Determining (820) that a threshold number of events of a particular kindare assigned to the events pool may be carried out by counting thenumber of events of a particular kind in the events pool and comparingthe events with the threshold (818).

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination ofthe foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent invention may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations ofspecial purpose hardware and computer instructions.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that modificationsand changes may be made in various embodiments of the present inventionwithout departing from its true spirit. The descriptions in thisspecification are for purposes of illustration only and are not to beconstrued in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention islimited only by the language of the following claims.

1. A method of dynamic administration of component event reporting in adistributed processing system, the method comprising: receiving, by anevents analyzer from an events queue, a plurality of events from one ormore components of the distributed processing system; determining, bythe events analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one ormore event analysis rules, to change the event reporting rules of one ormore components; and instructing, by the events analyzer, the one ormore components to change the event reporting rules.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein instructing by the events analyzer, the one or morecomponents to change the event reporting rules further comprisesinstructing the component to suppress events of a particular event type.3. The method of claim 1 wherein instructing by the events analyzer, theone or more components to change the event reporting rules furthercomprises instructing the component to discontinue suppressing events ofa particular event type.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprisingreceiving, by the one or more components, the instruction to change theevent reporting rules; and changing, by the one or more components, theevent reporting rules in accordance with the instruction.
 5. The methodof claim 1 further comprising assigning, by the event analyzer, one orof the events an events pool; and wherein determining, by the eventsanalyzer in dependence upon the received events and one or more eventsanalysis rules, to change the event reporting rules of one or morecomponents further comprises determining whether an arrival rate of oneor events of a particular event type from one or more components of thedistributed processing system is greater than a predetermined threshold.6. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning, by the eventanalyzer, one or of the events an events pool; and wherein determiningin dependence upon one or more of the events in the events pool tochange the event reporting rules of the one or more components furthercomprises determining that a threshold number of events of a particularkind are assigned to the events pool.
 7. A system for dynamicadministration of component event reporting in a distributed processingsystem, the system comprising a computer processor, a computer memoryoperatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memoryhaving disposed within it computer program instructions capable, whenexecuted by the computer processor, of causing the system to carry outthe steps of: receiving, by an events analyzer from an events queue, aplurality of events from one or more components of the distributedprocessing system; determining, by the events analyzer in dependenceupon the received events and one or more event analysis rules, to changethe event reporting rules of one or more components; and instructing, bythe events analyzer, the one or more components to change the eventreporting rules.
 8. The system of claim 7 wherein instructing by theevents analyzer, the one or more components to change the eventreporting rules further comprises instructing the component to suppressevents of a particular event type.
 9. The system of claim 7 whereininstructing by the events analyzer, the one or more components to changethe event reporting rules further comprises instructing the component todiscontinue suppressing events of a particular event type.
 10. Thesystem of claim 7 wherein the computer memory has disposed within itcomputer program instructions capable, when executed by the computerprocessor, of causing the system to carry out the steps of: receiving,by the one or more components, the instruction to change the eventreporting rules; and changing, by the one or more components, the eventreporting rules in accordance with the instruction.
 11. The system ofclaim 7 wherein the computer memory has disposed within it computerprogram instructions capable, when executed by the computer processor,of causing the system to carry out the step of assigning, by the eventanalyzer, one or of the events an events pool; and wherein determining,by the events analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one ormore events analysis rules, to change the event reporting rules of oneor more components further comprises determining whether an arrival rateof one or events of a particular event type from one or more componentsof the distributed processing system is greater than a predeterminedthreshold.
 12. The system of claim 7 wherein the computer memory hasdisposed within it computer program instructions capable, when executedby the computer processor, of causing the system to carry out the stepof assigning, by the event analyzer, one or of the events an eventspool; and wherein determining in dependence upon one or more of theevents in the events pool to change the event reporting rules of the oneor more components further comprises determining that a threshold numberof events of a particular kind are assigned to the events pool.
 13. Acomputer program product for of dynamic administration of componentevent reporting in a distributed processing system, the computer programproduct disposed upon a computer readable medium, the computer programproduct comprising computer program instructions for: receiving, by anevents analyzer from an events queue, a plurality of events from one ormore components of the distributed processing system; determining, bythe events analyzer in dependence upon the received events and one ormore event analysis rules, to change the event reporting rules of one ormore components; and instructing, by the events analyzer, the one ormore components to change the event reporting rules.
 14. The computerprogram product of claim 13 wherein computer program instructions forinstructing by the events analyzer, the one or more components to changethe event reporting rules further comprise computer program instructionsfor instructing the component to suppress events of a particular eventtype.
 15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein computerprogram instructions for instructing by the events analyzer, the one ormore components to change the event reporting rules further comprisecomputer program instructions for instructing the component todiscontinue suppressing events of a particular event type.
 16. Thecomputer program product of claim 13 further comprising computer programinstructions for receiving, by the one or more components, theinstruction to change the event reporting rules; and computer programinstructions for changing, by the one or more components, the eventreporting rules in accordance with the instruction.
 17. The computerprogram product of claim 13 further comprising computer programinstructions for assigning, by the event analyzer, one or of the eventsan events pool; and wherein computer program instructions fordetermining, by the events analyzer in dependence upon the receivedevents and one or more events analysis rules, to change the eventreporting rules of one or more components further comprise computerprogram instructions for determining whether an arrival rate of one orevents of a particular event type from one or more components of thedistributed processing system is greater than a predetermined threshold.18. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising computerprogram instructions for assigning, by the event analyzer, one or of theevents an events pool; and wherein computer program instructions fordetermining in dependence upon one or more of the events in the eventspool to change the event reporting rules of the one or more componentsfurther comprises computer program instructions for determining that athreshold number of events of a particular kind are assigned to theevents pool.
 19. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein thecomputer readable medium comprises a storage medium.
 20. The computerprogram product of claim 13 wherein the computer readable mediumcomprises a signal medium.